


i'm not a creep; it was an accident

by murakamism



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Ereri Week, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-02 16:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4067419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murakamism/pseuds/murakamism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts when Levi catches his cute new neighbor changing in front of his windows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm not a creep; it was an accident

**Author's Note:**

> **For Ereri Week Day Three: Catch Me/Caught in the Act**
> 
> i was originally not going to post it at all because i don’t like the pacing–they move way too fast for my taste, but hopefully someone will still enjoy it.
> 
> if i end up deleting this after ereri week and you still want to reread it, then i've also posted it on tumblr [HERE](http://shotgunbreeding.tumblr.com/post/120600984770/im-not-a-creep-it-was-an-accident)

Levi’s had a pretty shitty day—yes, even compared to his usual shitty days, excuse you—so by the time he gets home he just wants to tumble into bed and fuck off into unconsciousness.

He considers a shower first but decides against it. His eyes are pretty much slipping close, anyway. If he regrets it come morning, then whatever. He’ll wash himself extra clean and change the bedsheets again.

He tugs off his necktie and undoes the first two buttons of his shirt. His soft, beautiful, clean bed comes into view, and Levi is pretty much ready to fall into it.

But he doesn’t, and spares a glance at the wide window instead.

It seems like his new neighbor has finally moved in. In fact, he’s getting pretty cozy.

The guy doesn’t seem to be aware that Levi can see him undressing clear as day right through their windows. The neighbor turns away from Levi and pulls his shirt right off his back—and _damn_ , that’s a really nice back, all smooth tanned skin and refined muscle.

He runs a hand through his messy brown hair before kicking off his trousers. He doesn’t even _fold them_ , damn it, but Levi’s distracted by the curve of his butt through fitted black boxers, and _shit_ why is Levi still staring?

The neighbor finally turns around, and when he meets Levi’s gaze his beautiful green eyes widen. He takes a step back, cheeks darkening, and Levi is surprised he can still see him clearly from the distance.

Well. Good for him.

Levi smirks.                      

His neighbour buries his face in his hands and shoots down to the ground, out of Levi’s sight, in a presumable crouch.

Levi snorts, rubbing his face, and finally crawls into bed.

Well, that was the best housewarming greeting Levi’s ever had the pleasure of seeing.

 

 

 

A week passes by without incident. Levi hasn’t forgotten his neighbor’s mishap, although it doesn’t really come to mind often. He’s seen the man walking around his room or sitting on a messy desk (his bed is out of sight), but so far he’s been fully clothed.

Still, it’s a hot summer, and Levi slides his window open, hoping for a breeze. The one that arrives is warm and disappointing, so Levi frowns and pulls back. He folds the sleeves of his dress shirt up to his elbows.

When he looks back up his neighbor is staring at him, bright eyes blinking in wariness. Levi raises a brow.

His neighbor gives him an awkward wave.

Levi only returns it with a nod. The brunet in front of him grins then, his smile practically a sunbeam threatening to blind Levi, and the black-haired man blinks.

Sunshine looks way too happy with that stiff response, but he’s kind of cute so Levi lets it slide—

Wait, who cares if he’s cute?

The brunet gives him one last awkward wave before turning around and disappearing somewhere else in his room. Levi stands there, partially dumbfounded.

A beat passes and he frowns. Well. Okay.

 

 

 

The next time Levi sees his neighbor through the window, the black-haired man is fresh from the shower, drying his hair with nothing on but a towel around his waist. The brunet that lives across him has his window wide open. He leans out, something dark in his hands, and Levi has to approach his own window to see what he’s doing.

The brunet’s putting potted plants outside his room, it seems. Levi watches him silently, observing the way he rearranges the pots, fixes the leaves.

He finally leans back, a smile spilling onto his lips. He looks up, and Levi can pinpoint the exact moment that he realizes Levi’s been watching, because all of a sudden his eyes are wide.

Levi exhales sharply in amusement. He tilts his head to the side, still quiet.

The brunet manages another small wave.

Levi takes a step forward, the towel in his hair slipping onto his shoulder, and opens his own window. He leans on the windowsill, staring the brunet down with his steely gaze.

“Interesting plants you’ve got there,” Levi says. He knows it’s an awkward thing to say, especially with his deadpan tone and expression, yet the brunet smiles at him again.

Maybe Levi has to get himself checked for indigestion, because that was definitely not his heart flipping a little bit inside of his chest, no, definitely not.

“Thank you,” the brunet replies, still smiling. He places his hands on the windowsill and leans forward too, so he doesn’t have to yell. “They’re going to flower soon.”

“I look forward to that,” Levi hums.

The brunet looks shy for a moment.

“What’s your name? I’m Eren,” he calls out.

Eren. It’s a nice name, Levi thinks.

He’ll definitely be putting it to good use.

“Eren, huh?” Levi practically purrs. Eren tenses up, lips parting slightly, and Levi chuckles. “I’m Levi.”

“Nice to meet you, Levi,” Eren says pleasantly. He’s calmed down a bit, although now his bright eyes stray somewhere below Levi’s face.

Oh, right, he’s half-naked.

Gone is the embarrassment from Eren’s face. When he looks back up, he seems only half-shy that Levi’s caught him staring.

In fact, the brunet looks more confident than ever, judging by that grin.

“So, I’ll see you around, Levi?” he asks, perky, and Levi rolls his eyes. They live across each other, so of course they’ll see each other around.

Or Levi will try extra hard to make sure it happens. Ahem.

“Definitely.”

 

 

 

The next time they meet is purely by accident.

You know, just like the rest of their encounters.

Levi’s on his lunch break, strolling along the streets. He said he’d get out for lunch, although it was only because he couldn’t take Erwin’s nagging. There was a small deli nearby, and their sandwiches were delicious enough to lift his spirits.

He walks slowly, just so he can delay his eventual return to his drab paperwork, when he spots a familiar green-eyed young man stepping out of a flower shop.

Eren tugs at the strings of his apron. He turns towards Levi just as the older man approaches, and a pleased smile appears on his face as he recognizes him.

“Levi! Hi!” He exclaims, coming closer. Levi stops walking, looking up at him with his hands in pockets.

“You work at the flower shop?” Levi asks. He didn’t expect that.

But it suits Eren, really.

“Yeah, I do. What about you?”

“In an office downtown. I’m on a lunch break.”

“Oh, that’s nice. I haven’t eaten yet either.”

Eren laughs again, although more nervously this time, and Levi doesn’t want to correct him. Still, if he doesn’t act now he feels like the younger man will walk away and leave.

He doesn’t want that at all.

“Then why don’t you go with me?” Levi suggests.

Eren is really bad at hiding his excitement.

“Really? Are you sure? We’ve barely talked to each other...”

“I suggested it, didn’t I? Come on, we’re both fully dressed now.”

Eren blushes faintly, but he laughs it off again. He reaches up to scratch the back of his neck and Levi snorts. The younger man’s laugh is light and beautiful, and Levi wants to hear more of it. Perhaps over lunch and dinner and breakfast. Over a cup of tea or some bad television.

The idea creeps up on him out of nowhere, and Levi tugs Eren to the direction of another deli to keep his thoughts from going to inappropriate places.

 

 

 

Eren is a horribly messy eater. He talks with his mouth full, even when Levi reminds him otherwise. Levi is partially disgusted, but he can’t help but be drawn in by the brunet’s booming voice and cute expressions.

They talk about many different things—it’s mostly Levi listening—but he still thinks it’s too little.

It’s almost time for him to be getting back, but Levi doesn’t care about that right now.

“How are the other neighbors?” Eren asks at one point, probably because he’s run out of things to say. Levi shrugs. He always thought that the younger man had talked to them; he seems like the popular friendly neighbor type, but maybe Levi’s wrong.

“I don’t know, although the new guy across my apartment is really cute...”

Eren chokes on his coffee.

Levi snorts, his chin in his hand. He watches Eren, amusement glinting in his eyes, as the younger man pouts at him.

“Really, Levi, don’t tease me like that.” Eren says, pushing away his empty wrapper.

“Why would you think I’m teasing?”

“Because I have a cute guy who lives across my apartment too, but he’s definitely out of my league.”

What the—

Eren’s still pouting.

Levi resists the urge to roll his eyes. This is ridiculous, all of it. Eren sounds like he’s fresh out of high school, which he very much isn’t.

Still, there’s a lot he wants to say, but he’s never been good with words, and any attempts at waxing poetic about the younger man’s glorious physique and beautiful smile and charming voice is probably going to sound creepy more than charming.

So he’ll let actions speak louder than words.

“That’s my line,” Levi replies instead. He leans over the table for a quick but firm kiss.

By the time he’s pulled back, Eren’s eyes are wide again. Levi resists the urge to make a poop joke.

Eren still isn’t saying anything, just staring at him like Levi’s broken him. The older man coughs, his legs stretching out uncomfortably under the table. Another moment passes and he wonders if maybe he’s fucked things up, because of course there’s no way Eren wants anything to do with an old creepy bore like him—goddamn it this is why Levi doesn’t _date_ people.

“We should do this again,” Eren mumbles. Levi’s vision is blocked as the brunet leans over the table and pulls him in for another kiss.

Levi reciprocates with enthusiasm. When Eren’s tongue slips into his mouth he belatedly realizes they’re in _public_ , _what the hell,_ but Eren doesn’t seem to care.

He pulls back to catch his breath. Eren’s eyes are hazy and twinkling, a smile on his lips as he licks them.

Levi watches the flash of his tongue.

“I hope you take responsibility for that first move,” Eren whispers.

“Don’t expect anything less,” Levi retorts back, although he finds his voice embarrassingly hoarse. Eren practically glows with smugness.

“My lunch break is over.” Eren kisses him again, and then a second time. “Give me your number,” another kiss that irritates Levi so he finally brings his hand up to the younger man’s soft hair—yes, it’s as soft as it looks, _oh_ —to trap him there. “So we don’t have to yell through our windows anymore, all right?”

Levi nods. He reaches into his pocket and places his phone on the table, pressing his lips against Eren’s once more before releasing him.

Eren sits back down with a breathless laugh. He types in his number and winks.

This newfound confidence only makes Levi like him much, much more.

“See you around, Levi,” Eren says, voice low in the man’s ear, before he stands up and disappears.

Levi sits in silence for a few tense seconds, before melting back against his chair. He sighs and checks his phone, finds Eren’s number.

The brunet’s put a heart next to his name, damn it.

Levi doesn’t actually change it back.

Also, he’s late to work.

Ah, but he really doesn’t care.

_To Eren: When do you get off work?_

_Unknown: Five. :)_

_To Eren: Let me take you out to dinner. On a proper date where we can’t get interrupted._

He sounds kind of desperate, doesn’t he?

Well, Levi admits he’s still a bit stunned about all of this.

Not that he’d ever admit it, of course...

He saves Eren’s number.

_From Eren: Sure. I’ll be at your door on six._

Levi screws his eyes shut tight and mentally congratulates himself.

A notification dings from his phone, and he opens his eyes to read it.

Levi scowls.

_From Erwin: Where are you, Levi? Your lunch break ended fifteen minutes ago._

God damn it, Erwin.

_To Erwin: I’m lying dead in a ditch._

_From Erwin: Get back to work, Levi._

He sighs.

At least Eren will be waiting for him by the time he gets home. 


End file.
